Black leaders said on Friday that the sharp spike in unemployment among African-Americans revealed in the latest jobs report is nothing short of a “state of emergency” as they ratcheted up the pressure on President Barack Obama to tackle the issue.

The Labor Department found black unemployment – already well above the national average of 9.1 percent – jumped to 16.7 percent from 15.9 percent from July to August. It’s the highest level of African-American joblessness in 27 years.

“This is not necessarily President Obama’s fault – but right now, this is his watch. He has to address this issue,” Robert Johnson, founder of BET and the first African-American billionaire, told POLITICO.

With Obama’s major jobs speech set for Thursday, Johnson called on the president to specifically mention African-American unemployment in his remarks to the joint session of Congress.

“I think that the African-American community would welcome a phrase in his speech that says, ‘I am particularly concerned about the consequences of this economic situation…for minority Americans,’” said Johnson. “I think the white community would understand that phrase, coming from the first African-American president. I don’t think he should be shy at all [about it].”

Although I agree with Mr. Johnson, I also believe certain billionaires have enough influence and resources actually DO what they’re talking about.

#ImJustSayin.

tiztiz

Forget about it Bob Johnson. This President will not say anything about the joblessness in the African America communities. Now IF LATINOS numbers were HIGHER than our numbers – the President would scream it out loud!
By the way Bob – didn’t you have some negative things to say about this President -during his presidential campaign? Just thought i would throw that out there -LOL!
You know this President is not going to listen to You….

SickupandFed

Wait one cotton picking minute. He wants The President to take advice from the same Robert Johnson that was the first Black to have a nationwide TV channel? The one that sold out and then sold it to TIME WARNER? So he could leverage that money to buy a basketball team? A man that showed me and many others that he didn’t have the best interests of community in mind when he used that station to flood the minds of everyone with rump shaking. He really showed me the same thing when he sold it to people that don’t look like us, and look at what we have now?

He sold access to millions of people. He can keep his advice.

tiztiz

Ahhh – yea that’s the 1 -and don’t forget he was a TERRIBLE basketball team OWNER..

TAMTAM05

BOB JOHNSON IS THE LAST PERSON TO PRESS THE PREZ ON ANYTHING! I AM FOR BLACK UNITY AND A POSITIVE PERSON, BUT I CALL IT LIKE I SEE IT! IT’S JUST MY OPINION.

BOB JOHNSON ASSISTED IN THE DESTRUCTION OF HIS OWN PEOPLE. BET SANK TO THE GUTTER WHEN MR. JOHNSON ALLOWED FILTHY MUSIC AND VIDEOS TO AIR ON THE ONLY OUTLET OF IT’S KIND FOR BLACK PEOPLE. HE ALONG WITH OTHER’S SOLD THERE SOUL FOR MONEY. THE BLAME HAS TO BE PUT FIRST ON THE PARENTS, BUT I STILL SAY THE NEGATIVE MUSIC AND VIDEO’S CONTRIBUTED TO THE PROBLEMS WE HAVE TODAY IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY.

DO YOUR PART MR. JOHNSON BEFORE YOU PRESS THE PRESIDENT ON ANYTHING. GATHER YOUR “GANGSTA” FRIENDS THAT BECAME WEALTHY FROM THAT FILTH YOU AIRED AND MAKE PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUCEMENTS ABOUT THE USE OF GUNS AND THE EFFECTS IT HAS ON LIVES,COMMUNITIES. BLACK MEN ARE BECOMING EXSTINCT AND IRELEVANT BECAUSE TOO MANY ARE DYING AT THE HANDS OF GUNS, PRISON AND IS SETTING THEMSELVES UP TO BE INDENTURED SERVANTS AGAIN. REAL TALK! DEVELOPE PSA’S ON RESPECT, SOMETHING POSITIVE. FIND A WAY TO ORGANIZE THE THUGS IN EVERY MAJOR CITY, PUT THEM ON NOTICE THE BLACK MEN WILL NO LONGER TOLERATE THE TERROR IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY. SHAPE UP OR SHIP OUT. THERE’S WORK TO BE DONE MENTALITY WITH THESE YOUNG MEN. TREATMENT PROGRAMS ARE NEEDED. EDUCATION PROGRAMS ARE NEEDED.

YOU HAVE BILLIONS MR. JOHNSON, DO YOUR PART!

MAKE YOURSELF USEFUL INSTEAD OF PRESSING THE PREZ TO CLEAN UP A MESS YOU HELP MAKE WORST!

Evp2004@yahoo.com

Check your facts. Time Warner does not own BET. Viacom does. When you are going on attack be impeccable!

Pat4772002

My grandmother told me when I was young that a half of loaf
of bread is better than no bread at all and to never go on Welfare, my
grandmother grow up during the Great Depression, she was teaching me work ethics. Most African Americans are not taught work
ethics. Education is the number one priority; you have
to have a trade or a degree. I am not saying that African American are all
part of the problem of the high unemployed rate because there are other social dilemmas
that play a part in higher unemployment in the African American communities;
but there are a percentage of unemployed people out there that are not trying
hard enough, there are many variables that have to be considered.
Patricia Taylor
Chesterfield, Virginia

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